Wrap Of African Results In 2018 World Cup Qualifiers

The Black Stars were hugely tipped to beat the small Comoros Islands football team in the world cup campaign but they were denied a famous victory over Ghana in Moroni when they had a late effort from Al M'Madi ruled out for offside which television replays showed to be a wrong call from the linesman.

Elsewhere, Swaziland enjoyed a rare appearance in the World Cup spotlight on Friday by also holding another power- house, Nigeria to goalless draw in the first leg of their second round qualifying tie.

In Comoros, Halifa Soule struck the post for the home side early on but the same upright denied Ghana' Emmanuel Agyeman Badu and Dede Ayew in quick succession in the second half in hot and humid conditions.

Ghana remain heavily fancied to advance after the second leg in Kumasi on Tuesday but the Comoros, ranked 177th in the world, will want to cause a major upset and earn some respect.

Swaziland, ranked 130th ranked also proved combative as they held Nigeria in their match at the Somhlolo Stadium where John Obi Mikel came closest to scoring as he hit a curling free kick against the woodwork.

However, Cameroon, who have been to more World Cups than any other African country, had other ideas and wasted no time dealing with another minnow opposition and perhaps a stronger one, Niger as they scored three goals in a four-minute spell before halftime to win 3-0 away in Niger.

It was the side’s first game after doing away with German coach Volker Finke last month as Stephane Mbia, Vincent Aboubakar and Edgar Salliall netted as Cameroon.

Cameroon, whose appearance in Brazil last year was their seventh at a World Cup, had former international Alexandre Belinga in charge of their side for the first time.

African champions Ivory Coast were weakened by the absence of several key players, including Yaya Toure and Wilfried Bony, but still won 1-0 in neighbouring Liberia with Belgian-based striker Cyriac Bohi Bi scoring on the stroke of halftime.

South Africa after an initial scare, where they conceded a goal to Angolan teenage striker Gerson just 90 seconds still went on to register a 3-1 away victory over Angola in Benguela with goals through Tokelo Rantie and Thamsanqa Gabuza and a soft late penalty converted by Andile Jali, who then got sent off after his provocative celebrations aimed at taunting the home crowd.

Another minnow, Mauritania gave Tunisia some shivers as they scored first at home before the North African side scored twice in six minutes midway through the second half to beat Mauritania 2-1 away. Wahbi Khazri and Yassine Chikhaoui scored for Tunisia after captain Oumar Ndiaye had given Mauritania the halftime lead in Noukchott.

Kenya will take a slender 1-0 advantage into the second leg on Tuesday after scoring just nine minutes through Michael Olunga with a close-in header to beat the Cape Verde Islands in Nairobi.

Goals from English Premier League pair Mame Biram Diouf and Sadio Mane snatched a 2-2 draw for Senegal away to Madagascar, after the islanders first went up by two goals.

Civil strife Libya, converted a penalty through Faisal Salah as they beat Rwanda 1-0 in Sousse, Tunisia. The uncertain security situation in the country means Libya are forced to host their international matches in neighbouring Tunisia.

World Cup qualification continues in Africa over the weekend and on Tuesday, after which 20 countries will emerge from the knockout rounds to play in the group phase, which starts late next year.